It felt like the entire process lasted only a second. Perhaps it was. All Jack knew was he suddenly stopped near the end of the vertical tunnel, which was now visible when he looked up.
Jack still had the time to think that if this was the real world, this abrupt stop from such a speed would have turned their inside out. Luckily, this was a game world where normal physics was a concept that made no sense. So, they were perfectly fine.
He looked down and saw that he was floating in the air. It was now the bottom end of the tunnel that was so far away he couldn't see it.
The tunnel wall in front of them slid open. The light that was making them afloat slowly lowered until their feet and that light solidified into something that allowed them to step on.
"Come," Aldryth took the lead and walked out. Arthur followed her.
"Damn…," Bowler uttered. "Do you think they will mind if I ask them to let me use this tunnel to come up and down a few times?"
"Don't embarrass us by acting like kids, please," Jack said. "This tunnel experience is nothing special."
"Dude, not all people can fly as you do," Bowler protested.
"Shut up, you two. Please act formal!" Jeanny chided.
They walked out into another large hall. The ceiling was much lower than the one they came up from. There was a double door on the opposite wall. Two guards opened that door when they saw Princess Aldryth's approach. Aldryth led Jack and the others through that door.
Crossing the door, they came into a bright room. It was bright because one of the walls, which was also an outer wall, was fully made of glass. Allowing them to see the outside, which was filled with white clouds. They were reminded again that they were very high up near the top of this towering palace.
Standing at an elevated platform under this glass wall, was a draconian woman in a regal robe. On her head was an intricate-looking crown. Comparing her crown to his, Jack felt his one was a little bit plain.
Several draconians with luxurious clothes stood by her sides. One of which Jack knew. This one glared at Jack with unfriendly eyes. He was Guzrim, the draconian diplomat who had come to Thereath and demanded tributes.
Guzrim looked discontent but he was silent. Jack pictured Guzrim must have protested when the queen announced that she was summoning Jack to the palace. Jack just spared the draconian a glance.
At both sides of this hall lined a row of draconian soldiers. They stood ready in case the guests caused trouble.
Prince Aldryth stopped before the elevated platform where Queen Frorryntiar was standing. Jack and the others followed his lead. Aldryth bowed as a show of respect. Arthur, Jeanny, and Bowler followed suit. Jack gave the queen a respectful nod. They were both sovereigns, bowing might imply that Themisphere was beneath Hydrurond.
Gizrum scowled silently seeing Jack's nod. Several officers next to him seemed unhappy as well. Queen Frorryntiar didn't show any emotion.
Aldryth said to her mother, "My queen, I have brought His Majesty of Themisphere kingdom, King Storm Wind. Jeanny, the leader of the outworlder guild from Themisphere, Everlasting Heavenly Legends. And Megan, the leader of the outworlder guild in our country, Evil Breakers."
"Good," Frorryntiar uttered. She then turned to Jack and said, "King Storm Wind, perhaps we should start by addressing the elephant in the room."
Jack was amused that the queen understood the idiom. He could roughly guess what the queen meant, but he still asked, "Which is?"
"You disrespected the emissary I sent to your palace. That is the same as you disrespecting Hydrurond and me. It is not something I take lightly. I should do the same to you for what you have done to my emissary."
"My queen, please…"
Frorryntiar made a gesture to Aldryth asking her to be silent. Aldryth didn't dare to disobey.
Guzrim was making a gloating expression at Jack.
Jack sneered at his expression. He then said to Frorryntiar, "Queen Frorryntiar, if you invite me here just so you can get a payback for your emissary, then go ahead. But please understand that I won't just stay still. If anyone was hurt, please don't blame me."
"How dare you throw threats?! Do you forget where you are?" Guzrim scolded.
"I don't give a shit where I am. If you threaten me, then prepare to be treated the same!" Jack shot back.
None of the native draconians in this room was a mythical grade, and the one with the highest level was the queen itself who was level 75. All the high-level and high-grade ones were already dispatched for the war. So, Jack was serious when he said he was capable of hurting the ones here.
"You uncivilized…," Guzrim stopped speaking because he noticed Frorryntiar was glancing at him. The queen simply gave him a simple stare, but he was as if someone had given him a death sentence. He lowered his head and his back was slightly bent. He remained in that pose in complete silence.
Frorryntiar returned her attention to Jack. "King Storm Wind, my man's outburst was shameful, but I'm disappointed that you as a sovereign responded in kind as well. It was… very unkingly."
"Well, I do know that I'm not an ideal king, but I won't just lie down and take it if I know I'm not wrong."
"So, you think you are right when you disrespect my emissary when he visited your palace?"
"I do. And if I come into your place and started throwing insults without provocation, I believe you will do the same to me. Please note that I said, without provocation. My outburst just now was because that asshole provoked me."
Guzrim almost looked up and shouted back, but he quickly controlled himself and stayed still.
"So, you are accusing my emissary of insulting you?" Frorryntiar asked.
"Yeah. If I come here and start spouting that Hydrurond is a weak country that can't protect itself, a country that has to bow to others to survive, a country that is filled with incompetent cowards, I do believe you will be angry and throw me out, won't you?"
"Are you saying my emissary said that?"
"Oh, he said them in more flowery words, but yes, he did say that."
"Was he?" Frorryntiar asked, but this time the question was not directed at Jack. She was looking at Gizrum.
Seeing the stare, Gizrum quickly tried to defend himself, "My Queen, I…"
"Be silent," Frorryntiar said softly. "We will discuss this later."
She turned back to Jack and said, "King Storm Wind, I did send Guzrim to offer you our assistance in return for compensation, but it was meant as a transaction, not intimidation. If the message you received is distorted, then perhaps I have sent the wrong emissary. Let's put this matter behind us."
Jack noticed that although Frorryntiar accepted that his man was the one at fault, she didn't show any sign of apologizing. This draconian queen was indeed prideful.
